Wind driven generator



July 4, 1961 2,990,776

A. S. CLARKE WIND DRIVEN GENERATOR Filed NOV. 17, 1949 .Fl'llen 5. Clarke United States Patent O The invention described herein may manufactured and used by Ljor .for the 'Government'for lgovernmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

inventiomrelates to 'Winddriven generators and more particularly to a wind driven alternating current generator for use with an e lectric fuse. I,

Modern electricfuses, such as proximity fuses, electric time delay fuses, etc., require a built-in source of electric power to actuate the fuse. One known device for providing such power is a small generator driven by a wind vane which is energized by the forward motion of the fused projectile. Such an element is generally employed with low velocity projectiles, such as bombs, rockets, and mortar shells. An example of such an element is shown in the US. Patent to Senn, No. 2,468,120. My invention consists primarily in the provision of an integral armature rotor and turbine blade, thus providing a simple rigid and inexpensive construction. Another feature of my invention is a safety arming system wherein part of the powder train is carried through the generator shaft which is made hollow for this purpose.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

, FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross section view of the head of a fused projectile embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional detail of the delay arming mechanism of the fuse shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a similar view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 of the gear reduction train which drives the delayed arming mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view showing the arrangement of the air intake ports and the exhaust outlets;

FIG. 5 is a. detail view showing the magnetic pole structure of the generator, and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the combined armature and wind vane.

Referring to FIG. 1 the electric fuse is generally indicated at 1, being fastened to the nose of the projectile 2 by a screw threaded connection indicated at 3. This fuse may be of any type requiring electric power but is indicated for the purpose of illustration as any known type of proximity fuse containing in or near the nose thereof a target responsive element 4, the details of which are not material to my invention. Target responsive element 4 is connected by leads 6 to a squib 7 which is thereby ignited when the target responsive element senses the proximity of a target in a known fashion. When the fuse is armed, ignition of squib 7 will fire tetryl charge 8 in hollow shaft 9 to thereby set off tetryl booster 11 and thus explode the projectile.

To supply electrical energy for the target responsive element, a generator 15 is provided having a stationary winding 16 from which leads 17 extend to the target responsive element.

A hollow' shaft 9 has fixed thereto the laminated iron discs 21 which are formed with radially extending fingers 22. Shaft 9 is journaled in a shell bearing 23 which is preferably made of oil impregnated bronze axially restrained by means of the ball thrust bearing 24 and ring Patented July 4, 1961 2 5 cooperating therewith. A soft iron disc 26 of appreciable thickness ,is provrded with peripherally spaced downwardly projecting fingers 26a, equal in number to the fingers 2 2, which form retainingmeans for the armature winding 16 as well as magnetic poles cooperating with the poles 22a of the rotor 20. With reference to FIGURE 1,

. the armature winding '16 surrounds the central ring 27 which'is in close contact with the disc 26. The disc 26 is made of a highly permeable magnetic material such as, Alnico.

Prior to insertion of 27 in the space formedby the shaped disc 26, fingers26a and g 27, the disc is mounted on the fuse body by means of a; plurality of screws 29 extending through spacer tubes 30.; The; magnetic circuit from the fingers 26a of the stator to the rotor 20 is through the spaced fingers 22. ,The. rotation of the latter at high speed will produce therefore, an approximately square topped wave form in the armature winding 27 which is connected to a 'load within the projectile. The rotor shaft 9 is preferably driven by means of turbine blades formed by bending of the fingers 22, or by employing a moulded turbine rotor integrally formed'with said fingers. Space A may be used for rectifiers or other components of the fuse while space B may house the interrupter gearing for the arming and self destruction switch. These details are well known, and as they form no part of my invention they are not further described.

In FIGS. 2 and 3 additional details of the components associated with the generator are shown. These comprise a gear train rotated by the shaft 9 for aligning a tetrylfilled bore 13 in gear 12 with the shaft 9 which is also tetryl-filled and squib 7 for firing the main tetryl booster charge 11 thereby. The gear train from shaft 9 includes in order the gears 3'1, 32, 34, B3, 35, and 12, the latter being journaled on a shaft 40 which is mounted in the support 49 fixed to the inner cylindrical wall 50'. A spring detent 51 locks the disc 12 in firing position when the necessary rotation of the latter has been accomplished to arm the fuse.

The elements above described are inclosed in casing 50 which may be of plastic or any other suitable material. Screwed to casing 50 as by screws 54 is an outer casing 50a which thereby provides an annular air passage between casing 50 and 50a. A series of apertures or ports 53 are provided in casing 50a to serve as exhaust ports for air passing down this annular channel or passageway. Casing 50a is attached to the lower portion of the fuse 55 as by screw threaded connection shown at 52.

The operation of the device will now be clear. Upon the projectile being discharged or released air will flow through annular intake orifice 56 to rotate vanes 22a and thus energize the generator to render the target responsive element operative. At the same time shaft 9 through the associated reduction gearing will slowly rotate gear 12 from the unarmed into the armed position so that after a safe distance has been traversed the fuse is armed and ready for operation.

It will be apparent that the embodiments shown are only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in construction and arrangement within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electric fuze for ordnance projectiles, a wind driven generator for said electric fuze comprising a substanti-ally cylindrical casing adapted to be propelled at high speed along the axis thereof, the advance portion of said casing structure having a central nose section and said nose section and said outer annular section, outlet openings at the rear of said annutor; wind vanes integral with said armature and extendlar passageway; a generator journaled coaxially with said ing into said annular passageway; a shaft for said armaannular passageway; a rotatable armature for said generature, said shaft being hollow and open at both ends, a tdfi-wi'lldvane n g l w a d armature and extending booster charge adjaoenLthe rearward end of said shaft, into'said'annular passageway; a shaft 'for said armature, 5 and a ib. v dj m; h fo w d d of said haft; a said belng hDllOW Open at ends, a bOOStQI' rotary powder train interrupter; aid, interrupter 3$? afil'acent t a said shaftand a by said shaft. and having an interrupting member disposed q i zgliiz zrg figiwgd gl fg g i g zizi a wind between said squib and said shaft and actuatedfrom e i I l r v g driven generator for said electric fuze comprising a sub- 10 ig ggg f g $33 ummate armed by stantially cylindrical casing adapted to be propelled at i high speed along the axis thereof,'the advance portion of s ash 8mm t al ose Secto and References Cited in the file of this patent a1c1g u re ingacenr n in an outer annular section spaced therefrom; means provids UNITED STATES PATENTS ing an interior annular passageway having an annular 15 2,468,120 Senn Apr. 26, 1 949 inlet opening between said nose section and said Outer 2,484,206 Clark -Oct. 11, 1949' annular section, outlet openings at the rear of said annular v v passageway; a generator jonrnaled coaxially with said FOREIGN PATENTS annular passageway; a rotatable armature for said general 304,254 Germany Oct. 1, 1920 

